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Indiana struggled to separate from EIU early, holding just a 21-19 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half. But the Hoosiers finished the half on a 23-4 run and really never looked back. The Panthers never got closer than 19 after the break, and the IU lead gradually swelled.
Let’s take a deeper look at how Indiana won 91-57 with our latest edition of The Report Card.
The Hoosiers (1-0) will next host Bellarmine on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBCSN).
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OFFENSE (B)
Indiana was solid offensively but not elite. Their overall offensive numbers looked more like what you might expect against a high-major foe rather than a mismatch against Eastern Illinois. Were there some first half jitters in front of the home crowd in the first game that counted? It looked that way.
Indiana guards Markus Burton and Bryce Lindsay were able do damage inside and out, and the duo put the team on their shoulders when others were struggling at times to finish. That pair was 6 of 8 from three, and collectively all of the IU guards and wings had 23 of the team’s 32 free throw attempts.
“I thought their aggressiveness to continue to get in the paint, press their defense a little bit, get to the free-throw line,” IU coach Darian DeVries said. “There was a lot of good things there in the big picture that’s going to be something we’re going to need is those type of paint touches.”
Indiana’s point of emphasis all offseason has been offensive rebounding. With a 38.2% offensive rebounding rate they were good, if again not great considering the competition. 7-foot-2 Samet Yigitoglu had five offensive rebounds in just 18 minutes.
Because they were driving a lot, and earning free throws, IU had just 13 assists against 11 turnovers. Their 55.2% free throw rate (FTA/FGA) would have been the fourth-best in a game a season ago.
DEFENSE (B)
The Hoosiers weren’t locked in the first 10 minutes. EIU was able to get downhill, and Indiana was late closing out on shooters. Starting guard Jaeden Mustaf said DeVries challenged the team to elevate the standard on that end, and they responded.
The Panthers didn’t score a field goal for the final 9:45 of the first half.
“I thought midway through the first half our defense really, really turned up. I thought we weren’t aggressive enough early in the game,” DeVries said. “I thought our ball pressure and activity really picked up in the second part of the first half.”
IU forced 14 first half turnovers, and EIU’s 31.1% turnover rate for the game was more than six percentage points higher than any Hoosier opponent last season. The Hoosiers had 10 first half steals.
But the inconsistency continued after the break. DeVries said the team had breakdowns on switches, and EIU was able to cut down on turnovers and shoot 55% from the field in the second half.
Against smaller teams, Indiana’s big lineups will be challenged by spacing as their size gets pulled away from the paint and has to guard. The emphasis going forward will be on perimeter defense and staying in front of the ball.
Eastern Illinois was able to convert on 61% of its two-point attempts for the game. That’s a number that is way too high for an undersized low-major. A more competent team with better ball handling and three-point shooting could have made this an interesting game.
“Overall, it was good, but you can’t allow a team just to parade right to the rim,” DeVries said. “We did it way too many times in the second half.”
It’s hard to know what kind of shooting they have, but the Hoosiers limited Eastern Illinois to three made 3-pointers on 14 attempts (21.4%). The Panthers went 0 of 7 from behind the arc in the second half.
SEE ALSO:
- Indiana’s defense forces 22 turnovers in 91-57 rout of Eastern Illinois
- Watch: IU basketball’s DeVries, Burton, Mustaf talk win over Eastern Illinois
- Burton shines in IU debut as Hoosiers dominate Eastern Illinois in opener
- IU basketball freshman guard Prince-Alexander Moody suffers knee injury
- IU basketball: Indiana 91 Eastern Illinois 57 — Three keys, highlights, stats
THE PLAYERS (*starters)
*Aiden Sherrell (C) Sherrell’s inefficiency from close range was a trend in the preseason and it continued on Monday. He was also 0-4 from three. This was a game you’d expect him to be dominant, but he wasn’t.
*Samet Yigitoglu (B) He had five inches on everyone from EIU, and at times he took over with rebounding and rim protection. Yigitoglu filled his role well.
*Jaeden Mustaf (B-) Mustaf was a key cog in the defense. He was good on the ball and in passing lanes. He was effective playing bully ball to get to the rim, but he did have three turnovers on the night.
*Darren Harris (C) The Duke transfer had trouble getting anything going offensively. EIU had him scouted well as a “don’t leave” shooter. Harris looks like a player whose impact on the game will be in large part determined by whether he makes threes.
*Markus Burton (A) Burton was the best player on the floor for IU, at least on the offensive end. His inside-out ability was elite, and he struck a nice balance as a scorer and a facilitator. A concern is his four fouls — something that troubled him in the preseason as well.
Bryce Lindsay (A-) IU is so fortunate to have a starter from Villanova coming off the bench. Lindsay is instant offense, and he allows the team to not miss a beat when Burton is out.
Sam Alexis (B) Alexis battled through a bloody nose, even switching to jersey No. 25 for a stretch. Like Lindsay, he’s a luxury to have coming off the bench.
Trent Sisley (B) Sisley played his role well and competed. You can see a slight tweak to his shot mechanics. It won’t be a surprise to see an uptick in his 3-point percentage this year.
Trevor Manhertz (B+) The promise of this unheralded freshman was on full display. His perimeter shot is a thing of beauty, and he’s not afraid to let it fly. And Manhertz showed something with an off-hand finish at the rim. Whether he’s able to withstand the physicality against high-majors will be something to watch, but his length will help.
Vaughn Karvala, Clemens Sokolov, Justin Monden and Drew Snively also made brief appearances.
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Prince-Alexander Moody is out with an injury.
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